Poster Boys: The Work of Kevin Scally and Brendan Foreman for the Abbey Theatre

Curated by Dr. Linda King

Dates: February 2025 – December 2025

Free admission

The National Print Museum announces an exciting new exhibition, curated by Dr Linda King and showcasing the Museum’s collection of Abbey Theatre posters from the 1970s-1980s. This exhibition focusses on the two main posters designers for the Abbey during this period, Kevin Scally and Brendan Foreman, and their methods of visually interpreting a stage production. The printing processes and technologies, which themselves were evolving during the period, are also examined. These designers pioneered the genre in Ireland, as previous theatre posters were text-based. Their work represents both the modernisation of the National theatre and the burgeoning culture of graphic design in Ireland. The exhibition also provides an insight into the interplay between visual imagery and theatrical experience, and how one is used to create public expectations of the other.

Theatre posters were a vital part of the visual landscape of Dublin city, as they would have been hung in pubs, coffee shops, and along the streets. ‘Poster Boys’ brings back the magic of that era of poster design and places the beauty of these posters, and the creativity of their designers, at centre stage. This exhibition is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Response Prints
Kevin Scally and Brendan Foreman were each asked to design a new poster, in response to the exhibition and as a reflection of their time as poster designers for the Abbey Theatre. These posters were printed letterpress by Mary Plunkett on the Museum’s Vandercook No. 4 in a limited edition and are for sale in the Museum’s shop